$35.00
Help slow the cognitive decline that's so common in older dogs, and reduce age-related disturbed behaviour.
This antioxidant-rich health jelly, with l-carnitine and vitamin E in vet-formulated clinical daily doses, is designed to help reduce disturbed behaviour and improve quality of life, as your dog ages.
When you switch to fresh feeding, using meat + bestie, you’re likely to see some changes.
People say that making fresh food is now almost as convenient as getting it from a bag, and they’re more confident they’re doing the right thing. They’re less worried – and that’s a good thing!
They also report health improvements in their dogs, after they've been on meat + bestie for a while:
Dogs are more active with a pep in the step.
Dogs lose weight (the bestie app plays a role here).
Poos are smaller and healthier (and yes, a little less stinky!)
Coats are softer, glossier and skin healthier.
Chronic inflammation-related, conditions diminish.
bestie even suits most notoriously fussy eaters - with the right protein and transition!
Apple, carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin and kale: together, these Australian-sourced fruit and veg make a powerful mix. The orange veg are rich in betacarotene, a precursor of vitamin A and a powerful antioxidant. Kale is also rich in betacarotene as well as lutein, and other vitamins and minerals. Apple is a good source of vitamins and dietary fibre. Shiitake mushrooms add a range of minerals and vitamins, especially copper and vitamin B5. These medicinal mushrooms also contain antioxidants, among them the amino acid ergothioneine, the subject of much research as a natural and 'adaptive' antioxidant).
Kakadu plum, Manuka honey, and sea kelp: these uniquely Australian superfoods play a key role. Kakadu plum has more than five times the antioxidant value of blueberries, and is super-rich in vitamins C, E and lutein. Sea kelp, hand-harvested on the Australian coast, is a potent source of iodine.
They combine with kale and wheatgrass, which is packed with chlorophyll, vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6, as well as minerals zinc, iron, selenium, and manganese.
Two imported super herbs round out the mix: nettle, rich in chlorophyll, trace minerals and vitamins; and chicory root, high in inulin and a natural prebiotic.
Prebiotics, in the form of chicory root and brewer's yeast, support the growth of probiotics, a group of 'friendly' bacteria that help with gut health and in turn, immune system health. The ALLROUNDER includes live spores of B. coagulans MTCC 5856 strain at a strength of 1.47 billion CFU per 5 grams of ALLROUNDER.
Green lipped mussel from NZ contains glycosaminoglycans, glucosamine and chondroitin, as well as zinc, and magnesium, all beneficial for good joint health. In addition, green lipped mussel along with cod liver oil, provides omega-3 fatty acids.
The cod liver oil we use, is made from wild caught, sustainably sourced Norwegian Arctic cod. This cod liver oil is rich in omega-3s, including EPA and DHA, which support heart, brain, vision, and joint health, as well as vitamins A and D.
MCHA (or Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite) bone meal is extracted from Australian certified BSE-free, pasture-fed cattle. It's a natural bone replacement that provides the proper calcium and phosphorus balance.
Beef bones from Australian cattle are boiled under high pressure for more than six hours to extract all the nutrients; the broth is then dried using innovative low temperature processing. (See below.) They're packed with trace minerals and a great taste!
Nutritional yeast is an inactive form of yeast that's a also a complete protein - containing the 10 amino acids that dogs need. It's also packed with B-vitamins, including B12 (typically only found in meat), has an abundance of trace minerals and the powerful antioxidants glutathione and selenomethionine. It also contains the carbs beta-glucan and alpha-mannan, that boost the immune system.
There’s no doubt that kibble, even the premium kind, is a cost-effective way to feed a dog. Well, cost-effective in the short term that is. Add in the cost of poor health…and maybe that bag of kibble isn’t really so cheap after all. Plus, should we really feed our dogs like it’s still 1950 - out of bag? (What matters more - super convenience or pretty convenient good health.)
That said, if we want to feed fresh, how much does it cost? Does it fit your circumstances? Below is a guide…
This little Pom is 3.7kg! But let’s assume we’re talking dogs more like 5kg, then the daily cost of meat+bestie would be less than a coffee a day. Seriously. And that’s way less. For a 5kg dog, you’ll get about 80 serves of bestie out of a 350gm pack and the bestie will work out to about $1.50 a day on average. The total daily cost will be between $2.20 and $5 a day, depending on the protein you use. (That’s not per meal, but per day.)
For an average dog of say 10kg, then the daily cost of meat+bestie will be somewhere from a coffee to a coffee plus a bit a day. For a 10kg dog, you’ll get about 50 serves of bestie out of a 350gm pack and the bestie will work out to about $2.55 a day on average. The total daily cost will be between $3.70 and $7 a day, depending on the protein you use. (That’s not per meal, but per day.)
For a dog of say 30kg, then the daily cost of meat+bestie will be somewhere between $7.50 and $13.50 a day – based on using human grade meat at an average cost of about 12.60/kg. (You may do better than this.) For a 30kg dog, you’ll get about 61 serves of bestie out of a 1kg pack and the bestie will work out to about $3.60 a day on average.
For a dog of say 50kg, then the daily cost of meat+bestie will be somewhere between $11 and $18 day – based on using human grade meat at an average cost of about 12.60/kg. (You may do better than this.) For a 50kg dog, you’ll get about 42 serves of bestie out of a 1kg pack and the bestie will work out to about $5.30 a day on average.
Why does the cost fluctuate? Well, not only do different proteins cost different amounts per kg, but they should really be fed in different quantities. Why? Well, the energy given to the dog by roo, for example, on a gram for gram basis, is less than that given by lamb. That means you’d need to feed MORE roo to give the dog the same amount of energy as that given by say 100grams of lamb.
While some other products provide a one-protein-fits-all feed quantity, that will mean the dog is being given less energy than they need, on some days. Don’t worry though, the bestie app works out the right quantity, based on the proteins you’re feeding.
Add a dash of water to bestie.
Add your fresh protein.
Mix together and serve.
Apple powder, bone broth powder, carrot powder, sweet potato powder, MCHA bone meal powder, cod liver oil, organic wheat grass powder, organic pumpkin powder, organic shiitake mushroom powder, kale powder, green lipped mussel, nutritional yeast, probiotic (bacillus coagulans), kelp powder, organic nettle powder, organic chicory root powder, kakadu plum powder, manuka honey powder, iodised salt.
All our fruit, veg, Manuka and bone broth powders are gently processed in Australia, using an innovative low temperature processing method, refractance window drying. RWD helps retain more nutrients through the drying process than other typical dehydration methods like drum drying. For example, research shows that about 56% of carotenes are lost during drum drying vs 8.7% during RFW.
(Most of the dehydrated fruit and veg powders available in Australia don't use RFW and they're also imported from China or other sources. They're often spray dried. Spray dried products often suffer from high volatile losses due to atomisation and high air temperature of 150-300°C, as well as significant nutrient losses.)
RW drying can retain heat sensitive vitamins, colour, phytochemicals content and antioxidant activity at similar levels to freeze-dried products, but with about half the energy consumption.
We're using 100% carbon-neutral shipping with Sendle, and mailing satchels made from biodegradable and home-compostable materials. In fact, even though it looks and feels a hellavalot like plastic, it's actually made from 70-80% PBAT (a co-polymer that is completely biodegradable) and 20-30% PLA (which is a fancy way of saying cornstarch).
In a commercial compostable environment, it will break-down within 90 days. At home, it may take up to 120 days.
(We're still working on the product packs themselves.)
Transitioning from one food to another depends on the dog, and the food they're used to getting, so go easy, initially. Start by replacing a small portion of their usual diet with your homemade fresh food and see how that goes. Then keep adding a little more fresh food to each meal as you slowly decrease the amount of their previous food.
Watch for any signs of vomiting and/or loose poo; this probably means you're transitioning a bit too quickly. If you are, slow down a little.
(Read more about transitioning in our FAQs.)
Very informative with easy instructions.
Good to hear! Thank you.
Our 13yr old poodle X loves the Einstein jelly mushed into her morning meal with mince and Bestie Balancer. She’s noticeably less befuddled and happier. Plus she’s not constantly looking for me, because she thinks I’ve moved to another room. We’re thrilled that she’s a happier little dog. Thank you Amanda.
That's brilliant; so pleased. (And thanks for being part of the ver first trial!)
We felt so privileged to be a part of trialing this product. Arie dog turns 15 tomorrow and I believe he is in a better state of mind thanks to Einstein jellies. We mastered preparing and setting the jellies easily enough and then we tried out the eating. Arie dog was a little unsure so I broke up the jelly a little and whammo....gone. Now he is used to it and no breaking up needed. I am super relieved to report the inside number 2 bathroom episodes have stopped about 8 days after starting withBestie. I am also a big fan of the support Amanda gives us with any question, any time as we navigate how to address Arie dog's older age issues. Amanda is so knowledgable with a clear passion to get our dogs on a healthier path. Got to love that!
We are so thrilled it's made a difference, and thank you so much for your willingness to try as well as feedback and support.
Has your older dog started to:
These are well-known signs of cognitive decline (aka doggy dementia). But this kind of disturbed geriatric behaviour can be helped - by supplementing the diet. And if your dog hasn't begun showing these signs yet, but is getting older, you may want to consider supplementing the diet, as preventative support
For two years, researchers studied a group of beagles, to understand the effect on cognitive ageing, of dietary fortification with antioxidants and a program of behavioural enrichment.
Their results suggest that behavioural enrichment or dietary fortification with antioxidants over a long-duration can slow age-dependent cognitive decline, and that the two treatments together are more effective than either alone in older dogs.
What do they mean by 'behavioural enrichment'? Well, there were 3 components: increased exercise, environmental enrichment, and possibly most important, a program of cognitive enrichment. Cognitive enrichment was included because of retrospective studies of human subjects suggesting a link between cognitive experience and the development of age-dependent cognitive dysfunction.
The lesson? Add our nutraceutical supplements to the diet but add in some 'learning' exercises as well. Snuffle mat anyone?
...our findings in an open multi-centre clinical trial in the veterinary practice provide promising results that could tremendously increase the quality of life of the elderly dog.The Ginkgo leaf extract appears to be an efficacious agent that provides a safe dietary supplementation for the elderly dog with age-related behavioural disturbances.
Reichling, J & Frater-Schröder, M & Herzog, K & Bucher, Stephan & Saller, Reinhard. (2006).Reduction of behavioural disturbances in elderly dogs supplemented with a standardised Ginkgo leaf extract.Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde. 148. 257-63. 10.1024/0036-7281.148.5.257.
You can feed the jelly mix as jellies OR as the powder, mixed into food. If mixing the powder into food, please use the following ratios:
If making as a jelly, add water, mix and set in the fridge.
